How to Land Clients with Social Media (Pro Advice)

Are you trying to figure out how to get clients? It’s a struggle for many businesses. You spend all this time crafting the perfect business plan, you prep and staff your office and you’re finally ready to open the doors but no clients.

This article is going to show you how to land clients with social media, all organically.

That means no marketing budget for social media advertising will be required here. This is the exact strategy I used to grow my business to over 50,000 monthly page views and $30,000+ in revenue every month.

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How Do I Get Clients For My Business?

This is my personal story of getting clients using the power of social media.First, social media is huge.

For a long time, many industries were ignoring it. It’s only recently that more and more companies are getting on board, realizing the reach and business potential that social networks bring.

Next, social media is free.

Why aren’t you taking advantage of this free promotional method?

Lastly, it’s pretty easy.

It just takes some effort and consistency and you can build a robust social media strategy. And, if you can’t do it yourself or don’t have the time, it’s pretty simple to outsource social media work.

My Story of Using Social Media to Grow My Business

I had been running an online store in a marketplace for several months. The marketplace brought enough sales, especially for no marketing whatsoever, but I wanted more.

I had around 4,000 social media followers on Instagram at the time and I was reached out to by a company who wanted to partner to host flash sales on social networks.

I took advantage and my first sale brought in about a week’s worth of sales in just one evening!

I was hooked.

From then on, I paid special attention to my audience. I validated that Instagram was where my audience was hanging out and I put all my energy to growing that network, engaging in clients, and building up that channel.

A year later I was near 100,000 social fans on Instagram, making $30,000+ per month for my business, receiving more than half my traffic from Instagram.

And during that time, the year that I built up my Instagram channel, this is what I learned:

  • Focusing on all social networks is not the path to success
  • Using tools (free or paid) saves time and saves money
  • Being authentic with your fans is rewarded
  • Tracking the results is a must

Focus on ONE (maybe two) Social Networks Only

This is where some entrepreneurs get it wrong.

You see a pulse on one social network and get excited. Then, you go all out and hit up all the social networks.

This is a prime example of going wide instead of going deep.

You are targeting every network you can find, versus honing in on the one or two channels that really matter.

This is not about being the jack of all trades here.

Here’s how you find those one or two golden networks:

First, head to your analytics/data tracking tool of choice, like Google Analytics.

Then, drill down to see what social channels bring you the most traffic.

Those social channels are where your audience hangs out online.

So, if you see those channels like Instagram and Facebook, why are you spending time on Twitter trying to get traffic?

Stick to Instagram and Facebook (in this example).

Use Tools

There’s no need to do all your social media work manually.

Today, you’ll find many tools available at your disposal to help with sourcing content, posting, and much more.

Here are some tools to check out, that might be helpful:

Be Authentic

Above all else, be authentic. Don’t be afraid to be silly and show that you’re a real person. Customers love to see the real owner behind the brand, including images or video of your staff, office, production process and more.

Track Your Progress

And then lastly, track your progress. Not only will it give you the motivation to keep to the plan, but it’s a great measure of your work overtime.

You can track your progress with Google Analytics or other traffic/analytics tools. You can also track with built-in monitoring tools you’re currently using on your website to measure email list subscribers, open rates, post engagement, and more.

How Do You Land Clients?

Let’s get to the meat of this article, shall we?

You’re here because you want to know how to land clients.

Here are some actionable, free ways to use social media to get clients:

  • Be forward and post your request for clients in groups, lists, and forums
  • Join groups and bring tremendous value practising attraction marketing
  • Ask for referrals from your current clients
  • Ask friends/family

Ask for the Business

Don’t be shy here. If there’s an opportunity, ask directly. Head to groups where you network and post a message that you’re looking for new clients.

I saw a copywriter do this in a Facebook ads agency group I’m in and I saw 25 replies to that post almost instantly.

It left me scratching my head, thinking, why don’t I do that?

Attraction Marketing

Attraction marketing draws customers to you without you having to hard sell.

There’s really an art to this and when I started doing this last year, I saw real results fast.

Here’s what I did…

First, I joined a group in my niche.

I hung around and read questions members were asking. I looked at threads and responses while quietly taking note of some of the pain points people were having.

Then, I made my move.

A member of the group posted a question and I provided a thoughtful reply. What happened next blew my mind and increased my revenue by around $1,000 over the next few weeks.

First, I crafted my reply to the question with thought. I answered the question upfront and then I shared examples related, that pertained to me with real numbers.

For example:

“I used these tactics to grow my client’s startup revenue $20,000 in the first 30 days, under my management.”

“I saw a 35% lift in sales thanks to this strategy, in just 3 months.”

Numbers draw people in and if you use them in a smart way, you will attract so many clients, it’ll shock you!

Ask for Referrals

Then, ask your current clients for referrals.

If you’re looking for a fast way to instantly grow your client list, do this!

Shoot an email to your clients and ask if they can recommend you to their peers.

Also consider asking for a testimonial or review from them. This might be helpful to you later on, if prospective clients ask for samples or reviews of your work.

Ask Friends and Family

Finally, do not rule out asking your friends and family.

Your family and friends are your support. They can also be potential clients. Truthfully this should be the first route you take. Give it a try.

How Do You Attract More Clients?

You can attract more clients through knowledge sharing. Be a valuable resource, spread knowledge and gain trust. Then, sit back and watch clients flock to you.

It’s a really simple concept but, it can be tough to not sell yourself. You have to really hold yourself back from sharing your website or business too much unless asked.

It’s all about positioning yourself as an expert and giving away as much free knowledge and information as you can.

How to Get Clients from LinkedIn

When I transitioned to my social media management position, I really struggled to get clients in the beginning.

If you’re confused about my background already, here’s the path I took after quitting my 9 to 5:

  • Ecommerce
  • Blogging
  • Social Media Management/Copywriting

First, I made a big splash with my ecommerce store. Then, once the store sold, I transitioned to blogging which I still do. And then I started taking on social media clients because I was so good at growing a strong social presence. Throughout that time and still now I work on copywriting projects, virtual assistance, consulting and other small related gigs.

With my social media business, it was really tough in the beginning to get clients.

I remember asking experts and they kept saying to go to LinkedIn.

I didn’t really know what that meant and then eventually, it clicked.

You see, LinkedIn is the social media channel for careerists. It’s a place where you can network, build business relationships, talk work with peers, hire and outsource for help and more.

Here’s how you make LinkedIn work for you:

  • Make a stunning profile
  • Fill out your bio completely
  • Join groups and lists then, mingle

Making Your Profile and Bio Shine

Your bio is the bit of information under your account that gives a snapshot of who you are, including current title and workplace, location, and other info.

You want to fill out this information completely, including a professional headshot, your full work history, samples for your LinkedIn portfolio and other helpful information.

Don’t be afraid to post your work straight to LinkedIn either. I commonly see writers post their articles right to the platform and it helps them get more exposure, traffic, and even make money, as this act alone can produce working relationships that last a long time.

Join Groups/Lists and Network

Then, join groups and lists on LinkedIn and start mingling. Share your expertise, ask questions, answer questions and try to make yourself stand out in your niche.

For example, if you were to ask me who the person for email marketing is, or Pinterest ads, or Facebook ads, or affiliate marketing is, I could name a person for each of those categories.

You want to be that person!

Keep that in mind while you’re working on your LinkedIn profile.

How to Get Clients from Instagram

Next, head to Instagram, which is an amazing place to get clients.

I listened to a podcast recently where a businesswoman talked about making her first $1,400 sale on Instagram and her following was less than 100 people!

It’s powerful!

For ecommerce and product or service-based businesses, it’s a great place to showcase what you’re selling. You can post pictures and videos of your process, products, staff, behind-the-scenes snapshots of what you do and more.

For traffic-building and other purposes, it’s a great visual platform for you to share best practices, coaching, tips, quotes, etc.

I really think it’s a great fit for every entrepreneur.

So, how do you actually get clients?

First, you can be active, which is taking a passive approach to getting clients.

Let me explain.

All you do is be consistent and actively contribute to your Instagram account. That means post often, follow others, engage with fans, etc.

And you’ll start to see prospective clients come to you.

Taking a more active approach to Instagram, you can reach out to prospective clients through the platform. I’ve heard stories of successful cold pitching from sending a direct message (DM).

You can spot target clients, reach out on Instagram or through other means (email, etc.) and try to land that client.

This second approach is called cold pitching and while it can take a while sometimes to get your first client, it can be very worth it, if you spend a week or so of your time reaching out to various individuals and land that one client worth four or five figures!

Advantages of Social Media Client Acquisition

  • Free
  • Easy
  • Results-based
  • Actionable

Disadvantages of Social Media Client Acquisition

  • Can appear spammy if not done correctly
  • Time-intensive

Wrap Up

While I discussed only a handful of ways you can use social media for client acquisition, it doesn’t stop here. Don’t be afraid to get started and really take your business into your own hands to land clients with social media.

What do you think?

What social network will you be tackling to start landing clients with social media?

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